Cheetahs and Kings in seperate conferences again for new PRO14 season

The Southern Kings and Cheetahs will be in seperate conferences again for their second season as part of the PRO14. Photo: INPHO/Billy Stickland

DUBLIN, Ireland – The team line-ups for the PRO14 Conferences will remain unchanged for the upcoming season to ensure a balance of fixtures for all teams across the initial two seasons following expansion.

This decision comes after consultation with clubs across the PRO14 to determine the best course of action for the Championship and all of the teams who compete in it. The overriding factor in this decision was the ability to ensure equal home and away fixtures for each team across a two-year window.

It also means that each team will have played away to all of the other sides in that same period meaning no fan will miss out on the diverse spread of talent that exists in the Guinness PRO14. The first PRO14 season proved a hit with attendances, viewership and digital audiences all growing while the Championship set a new try-scoring record thanks to the fastest rucks in world rugby (81 percent were three seconds or less).

Entering his 15th season as Tournament Director, David Jordan, said: “We are very satisfied with how the tournament, our teams and broadcasters handled the expansion into South Africa in the first Guinness PRO14 season and it is our responsibility to ensure we build upon that. Initially, we envisioned the Conference line-ups changing from year to year but having reviewed the previous season it was felt that our clubs would be better served working in a two-year cycle to ensure the balance of fixtures.

Mick Dawson, CEO of Leinster Rugby, said: “In this the second year of the new PRO14 format I think it’s important that we have secured the same Conferences for our teams but with the home and away draw alternating. This allows our supporters, who attended in record numbers last season, to again see the rivalries build on what was a hugely successful first full PRO14 season."

For #MandelaDay2018, the Southern Kings teamed up with the Metro Police and @WarriorsCrickEC to spread joy and had a meet and greet with the children from St Bard's School for Autism as part of a whole programme of events that the Metro Police had planned to commemorate Madiba! pic.twitter.com/5uWy9wmSsa